Information regarding the Environment Agency's use of internet browser cookies.
Introduction to cookies
When we provide services, we want to make them easy, useful and reliable. Where services are delivered on the internet, this sometimes involves placing small amounts of information on your device, for example, computer or mobile phone. These include small files known as cookies. They cannot be used to identify you personally.
These pieces of information are used to improve services for you through, for example:
- enabling a service to recognise your device so you don't have to give the same information several times during one task
- recognising that you may already have given a username and password so you don't need to do it for every web page requested
- measuring how many people are using services, so they can be made easier to use and there's enough capacity to ensure they are fast
- analysing anonymised data to help us understand how people interact with government services so we can make them better
You can manage these small files and learn more about them from Direct Gov's website:
If you'd like to learn how to remove cookies set on your device, visit about cookies.org.
Cookies we use
Web Analytics/Metrics
These cookies are used to collect information about how visitors use our site. We use the information to compile reports and to help us improve the site. The cookies collect information in an anonymous form, including the number of visitors to the site, where visitors have come to the site from and the pages they visited.
| Cookie name |
Description |
Where it is used on our site and applications |
Expiry |
| _UTMC |
Google Analytics cookie. Tracks when a visit starts and ends. |
Across our website and Consultation portal. |
Session duration. |
| _UTMB |
Google Analytics cookie. Tracks when a visit starts and ends. |
Across our website and Consultation portal. |
30 minutes. |
_UTMZ
|
Google Analytics cookie. Tracks where a user came from (e.g. search engine, search keyword, link etc) |
Across our website and Consultation portal. |
6 months. |
| _UTMA |
Google Analytics cookie. Tracks each user's number of visits, first visit, last visit. |
Across our website and Consultation portal. |
24 months. |
uid
|
Unique number to track the number of return visitors to the search pages.
So service is available when you want it and fast, we measure numbers and volumes of visitors. |
Across our website. |
12 months. |
| IMRID |
Used by Nielsen-Netratings to monitor website usage.
So service is available when you want it and fast, we measure numbers and volumes of visitors. |
Across our website and What's in your backyard. |
24 months. |
Session management
| Cookie name |
Description |
Where it is used on our site and applications |
Expiry |
ASP.NET_SessionId
|
Microsoft Session ID Standard .NET cookie to retain session state across multiple pages. |
Site, Emissions Registry application, EU emissions trading system (ETSWAP) application, Jobs application. |
End of session. |
JSESSIONID
|
Allows a user to be recognised within a website so that changes or data selection is remembered from page to page. |
Carbon Reduction Commitment application, Integrated regulation application, Generic operator returns application, Floodline Warnings Direct application, What's in your backyard. |
End of session. |
FMSESSIONID
|
Allows a user to be recognised within a website so that changes or data selection is remembered from page to page. |
Integrated regulation application. |
End of session. |
| OFSessionHash |
Provides combined session and authentication handling of OfficeForms – the forms package used to present all forms within ETSWAP. |
EU emissions trading system (ETSWAP) application. |
End of session.
|
| OFServerID |
This enables OfficeForms to maintain their state in a session. |
EU emissions trading system (ETSWAP) application. |
End of session.
|
Apache
|
Allows session tracking on the Apache web server. |
Floodline Warnings Direct application. |
End of session. |
PHPSESSID
|
Allows a user to be recognised within a website so that changes or data selection is remembered from page to page. |
Publications catalogue. |
End of session. |
X-Mapping
|
Sends user to the same web server each page request. We have several web servers, so to ensure consistency over a user's session the user is sent to the same server each time. |
WIYBY application. |
End of session.
|
| v3_cookie_LB |
A load balancing cookie. We use multiple servers, so the use of this cookie makes transactions more efficient. |
Consultation portal. |
End of session. |
Personalised content/interface
To remember your selections or preferences that you’ve already made when looking at information or using a service.
| Cookie name |
Description |
Where it is used on our site and applications |
Expiry |
| lang |
Cookie to retain language used, either English or Welsh. |
Across our website, Intergrated regulation application, WIYBY application. |
6 months. |
| style |
Stores the user’s font-size preference. |
Carbon Reduction Commitment application, Generic operator returns application, EU emissions trading system (ETSWAP) application. |
Day of use. |
| Style |
Set and retain CSS style (i.e. Font size) information for the user. |
Across our website. |
12 months. |
| text only |
Records whether a user has expressed a preference for text-only presentation. |
Integrated regulation application |
1 January 2050 |
| npwd |
Contains cosmetic information about the skin to show (EA,SEPA or NIEA) |
National Packaging Waste Database application |
50 years |
Stop multiple submissions
| Cookie name |
Description |
Where it is used on our site and applications |
Expiry |
| qbtest / qbtest2 |
Cookie used to determine if a user has already a) completed our web survey, b) dismissed the survey pop up window. This will ensure the survey window does not pop up for a user on every return visit to our website. |
Across our website. |
12 months. |
Transaction specific
| Cookie name |
Description |
Where it is used on our site and applications |
Expiry |
| .RegistrySecure |
Created when a user successfully logs on to the system. This cookie is used to authenticate subsequent requests from the user. |
Emissions Registry application. |
End of session. |
| .ASPXFORMSAUTH |
Required by the login provider to track if a user is logged in. |
National Packaging Waste Database application. |
2 hours. |
| ASP.NET_SessionId |
Required to track responses from Barclaycard ePDQ when users leave NPWD to make online payments. |
National Packaging Waste Database application. |
2 hours.
|
How to control and delete cookies
We will not use cookies to collect personally identifiable information about you.
However, if you wish to restrict or block the cookies which are set by our websites, or indeed any other website, you can do this through your browser settings. The ‘Help’ function within your browser should tell you how.
Alternatively, you may wish to visit about cookies.org which contains comprehensive information on how to do this on a wide variety of browsers. You will also find details on how to delete cookies from your machine as well as more general information about cookies.
Please be aware that restricting cookies may impact on the functionality of our website.
If you wish to view your cookie code, just click on a cookie to open it. You'll see a short string of text and numbers. The numbers are your identification card, which can only be seen by the server that gave you the cookie.
For information on how to do this on the browser of your mobile phone you will need to refer to your handset manual.
To opt-out of third-parties collecting any data regarding your interaction on our website, please refer to their websites for further information.
